Anthology of Random Ideas
by The Lone Swordswolf
Summary: Everyone else has one so I decided why not. My very own collection of ideas I probably won't do anything with, so If you see one you fancy a crack at, let me know.


**So, as I am most assured, many of you have seen something similar to this, whether on Fanfic, YouTube, or theory threads, but what inspired me to try this is when I sped-ran the mission Long Night of Solace on Legendary difficulty. At the end of the mission I still had two marines left. TWO! On Legendary! So I ran it again on the other difficulties using the same tactics and no matter what I was always left with at least one marine at the end. So with that in mind, it allowed me to come up with this divergence with Reach and we'll see where we go from here.**

Six ran as fast as they could back to where Jorge was left on his own. The drive couldn't be allowed to come to harm or everything and everyone that'd been sacrificed would all be for naught. He could hear the marines behind him calling for him to slow down, but he couldn't. And so, when he reached the hangar, he did not hesitate to bring his DMR up and blow out the brains of an unaware jackal.

Surprisingly, there wasn't much in the terms of Covenant reinforcements. A couple elites, some jackals, and a handful of grunts. And with his arrival, their firing line they were using to keep Jorge under cover broke. With a heave, the massive spartan brought his chain-gun to bear and unleashed hell. In less than a minute all Covenant forces laid dead and that's when the marines arrived.

One whistled. "Well, damn. I know spartans were good, but they never stood a chance."

"Alright, enough chatter," commanded the Sgt. "It's not over till that carrier is sent straight to hell."

"Oh, relax Sarge. We're good to-"

"Reinforcements!" Six called, hearing the distinctive chime of a Covenant door about to open. Out trooped four shield bearing jackals, but Six chucked a grenade into their midst then killed the survivor with his DMR.

"See. What'd I tell yo-," the marine wasn't able to finish his sentence before a needle jabbed him in the shoulder sending him to the floor with a cry.

"Private!" yelled the Sgt. Only to once again watch as the spartan lieutenant brought his DMR up and brained both jackal snipers.

"Go!" ordered Six. "Get him in cover." The Sgt. nodded before dragging the moaning private towards the pelican.

Having heard another doors chime, Six turned to the opposite side of the room and saw one open behind a support pillar. Having no clear line of sight, he primed a grenade and threw it at the wall next to the door before sprinting over to take care of any survivors. He heard the bang of the grenade and saw the body of a flailing grunt as its methane tank had ruptured, but was left cursing as he heard the battle cry of an elite.

Stepping out from behind the pillar was the elite officer. It's ceremonial armor and reddish-gold coloring confirming his overview. However, he was not overly worried as officers were not much better than majors and its shields had already been damaged thanks to the grenade.

He slammed into it as it tried to bring its rifle to bear and shattered its shields, before putting his pistol in its mouth and firing, quickly killing it. Another chime stopped him from relaxing along with Jorge's shouts. "Six! Up above."

He cursed under his breath and ran back out from under the platform and up the stairs, only to be met with a large squad of grunts. Most squealed in surprise but two of them opened fire. Priming another grenade, a plasma this time, he hit the grunt behind the lead and stuck it. It jumped in horror then began running towards him, in a vain hope to take him along with it, but a round to the head put paid to those thoughts. With its death, the grenade went off, incinerating the others close to it and wounding or disorienting the others. A few more rounds from his DMR took out the rest.

Now knowing this wasn't the end of reinforcements, he quickly checked his ammo and swore as he realized he only had a few rounds left and no spare clips for his DMR. But he did have a few for his pistol, and that gave him an idea. Discarding his main weapon, he picked up one of the plasma pistols and readied himself.

Another chime, this time up to his left, had him start to hold down the trigger of his newfound plasma weapon, readying its overcharge. Out ran two more elite officers. Releasing the trigger saw the large ball of plasma speed towards the one in the rear breaking its shields. Before it could cry in surprise, he had brought the UNSC pistol to bear and domed it. The quickfire sounds startled the lead elite and he ran into its back before it could turn taking it to the ground. Quickly, he unsheathed his knife and jabbed it in the neck, twisting to expedite its death.

A roar behind him startled him, along with rapid fire from a plasma weapon. Turning while standing he saw an elite ultra. With another enraged roar, it unleashed a hail of plasma at him, overwhelming his shields. But, Six wasn't going to take this lying down. He overcharged another plasma shot and let loose, taking the elites shields down. However, to the elites credit, it did not slow down or startle at this. Instead, it charged him and knocked him to the floor. But, before it could do anything further, Six quickly raised his gun and fired. Another headshot.

The elite collapsed beside him, allowing him to recover only to hear fighting behind him. Looking at the hangar, he spotted three more ultras keeping everyone else pinned. "Lieutenant!" cried the marine Sgt. "We could use some-argh!" The man was unable to finish as one of the elites vaulted his cover and fired into the downed man.

Six jumped down and ran up behind the closest elite, repeating his earlier assassination, but simultaneously alerting its brethren. Another overcharge and shot to the head took out one while Jorge weathered the others fire and took it down with his chain-gun.

Breathing heavily, Six scanned the room paying attention for any they may have missed only to be greeted by his rapidly calming breathing. "Six," called Jorge, "meet up over here." Satisfied they were now alone, Six complied, shaking his head sadly as he passed the Sgt's corpse.

Jorge had already approached the drive to prime it while Dot alerted them to how much time they had left. _'Cutting it close.'_ Six thought.

"Dammit," he heard Jorge curse. "So, it's gonna be like that." He turned when Jorge hit the drive. "Well, I've got good news and bad news. This bird took some fire and her thruster gimbal is toast, which means the only way off this slag heap, is gravity."

"And the good news?" Six asked, though he knew with a sinking feeling he wasn't going to like it.

"That was the good news." Dot chimed in to remind them that their timetable was rapidly shrinking. Jorge rolled his head, before reaching up for his helmet, but both were startled when they heard a course laugh behind them. Turning they saw the wounded private from earlier leaning against one of the pelicans legs. With the wave of reinforcements earlier, they had completely forgotten about him.

"We're right fucked aren't we sirs?" He moved over clutching his bleeding wound. "If that's the goods news, what's the bad?" The man grimaced as he jostled his arm.

"The bad news is, the timer is fried. I'm gonna have to fire it manually."

"That's a one way trip."

"We all make it sooner or later. Better get going Six, they're going to need you down there."

"Sir," cut in the private, "if you wouldn't mind, but I think they're going to need you both."

Sighing, Jorge turned to the man. "Listen private-"

"No, you listen sir!" The private cut him off now grabbing wound, his face a combination of red and pale. "You're a Spartan, both of you are. Me? I'm just a lowly grunt who was lucky enough to make it here." His voice trailed off sadly at the end. "There's millions that are just like me." He seemed to bolster himself, standing straighter. "But, you…the Covies fear you. I know. I heard them as we fought through this place. They need you. Plus," he chuckled before gesturing at his wound, "I don't think I'mma make it out 'o here. Please, sir. Let me do my part."

Jorge hesitated, but he knew they had wasted enough time. If anyone was going to get out of here alive, it was now. "Alright. Dot, tell the private what he needs to do." Dot chimed the affirmative, while Jorge walked up to the man. "What's your name?"

The man straightened even further, letting go of his wound. "Private Miles Hoffman, sir."

"I'll remember it, soldier. Come on Six, we better get moving." Both Spartans approached the edge before looking back, giving respectful nods to the young man who chose to stay behind. And with a leap, the were off falling through space back to Reach.

As they fell, they watched as the corvette approached the supercarrier until it was right underneath it. One moment. Two. Then the corvette and the middle section of the carrier was engulfed in a slip-space rupture, before disappearing as quick as it appeared, leaving the fore and aft to float there. "Gotta admit, Six, but that worked out pretty well."

The moment was not meant to last though as the residual radiation from the slip-space rupture washed over everything, there came a warning from Dot. "Slip-space rupture detected."

The two turned to each other, worry settling in their guts. Before either could voice concern, Dot repeated herself. Then again, and again, and again. And off in the horizon, to Six's dread and Jorge's horror, more and more Covenant vessels appeared in system.


End file.
